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Beer is America's drink of choice, and for many good reasons. Today we have more diversity in brands and styles than at any point in recent history, meaning there is literally a beer for every person and almost every occasion. Equally important, when consumers reach for a cold beer they know what they are getting — a delicious drink brewed using traditional methods and natural ingredients. But that's not all beer drinkers get. What most do not realize is that they get a major tax bill with every beer. In fact, on a national average, more than 40 percent of what Americans pay at retail for beer goes toward taxes. That makes taxes the most expensive ingredient in their...

Related "Alcee Hastings" Articles

Beer is America's drink of choice, and for many good reasons. Today we have more diversity in brands and styles than at any point in recent history, meaning there is literally a beer for every person and almost every occasion.
Equally important, when...

With his proposal for a referendum to raise Florida's minimum wage to $12.50 an hour, U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, certainly has highlighted a problem — the chronic and growing income gap eroding the middle class. Whether Hastings has identified a...

U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings wants a referendum on the ballot next year to increase Florida's minimum wage to $12.50 an hour.
Hastings, a Democrat who represents parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties, said the 55 percent increase from the current $8.05 an...

In Florida, Democrats have one favorite: Hillary ClintonShe's the preferred candidate for the party's 2016 presidential nomination among rank-and-file primary voters, many key political fundraisers, and key elected officials.MoneySome of...

An unapologetic Alcee Hastings has not only messed with Texas, he has turned it into a fundraiser.
The blunt-spoken South Florida Democratic congressman called Texas “a crazy state to begin with” at a House Rules Committee last week while...

South Florida Democrats are ready for – and say the country needs – a strong, liberal, female president. But it's not the woman you think.While Hillary Clinton is the overwhelming favorite of Florida Democrats for their party's 2016 presidential...

U.S. Rep. Alcee L. Hastings messed with Texas, and apparently upset the nation.
The fireworks began earlier this week during a committee debate over -- what else? -- the Affordable Care Act and Texas Republcan Mike Burgess' criticism that the Obama...

Florida and Texas are battling it out for the title of "Crazy" town. Or state.
There are plenty of bigger things to worry about these days. But this issue is important, too, because while Florida has its problems too, Texas is crazy.
Word...

Former Gov. Jeb Bush is the most favorite of Florida's favorite-son presidential candidates, at least among the state's Republicans, leaving U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio a distant second.A Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday found Bush has support of...

U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch has an idea that's unnatural and nonsensical in the political world: take a temporary, self-imposed break from the constant drive to raise campaign cash.
During what he's calling "Fundraising Free February," Deutch said...

Some shop at Publix. Most drive their own cars. Many of their kids go to public schools.
But in one big way, South Florida's members of Congress aren't like most of the rest of us.
Hint: It involves money.
Newly crunched numbers from the Center for...

South Florida Congressmen Ted Deutch and Alcee Hastings are trying to remove provisions from a sweeping spending bill that they say would give the wealthy undue influence on political campaigns.
The provisions would allow wealthy donors to...

South Florida's Democratic lawmakers split over the massive federal government spending bill.Most voted no because of the many provisions tacked on the legislation that have nothing to do with funding the federal government.But U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman...

Eight of ten Florida Democrats in the U.S. House voted against a giant spending bill to keep the federal government funded, despite pleas for passage by the White House.
But 12 of 17 Florida Republicans voted “yes,” while citing funding for...

WASHINGTON -- While wrapping up its least productive session in modern history, Congress approved some small-but-significant measures of special concern to Floridians and is expected to renew a sales-tax deduction that affects 2 million Florida...

The good news is Congress didn't end its session by committing any obvious harm. No government shutdown, no dramatic changes to health care reform and no sudden roadblocks to President Obama's go-it-alone effort to improve immigration. Plus, some...

Roughly 2 million Florida families stand to lose hundreds of dollars each next year when they file their federal income-tax returns for 2014 unless Congress acts soon to renew a popular deduction for state and local sales taxes.
About one-fifth of...

South Florida Congressman Alcee Hastings on Wednesday announced his support for a constitutional amendment on the Florida ballot that would legalize marijuana for people with serious health problems.
“As citizens, rarely do we have an...

Chris Smith isn’t on the ballot this year, but he’s campaigning as if he were.
Operating out of a building on Sistrunk Boulevard in historically black northwest Fort Lauderdale, Smith is spearheading a multi-pronged effort to increase black voter turnout...